Shelf of the Slain
by AliceCullen117
Summary: I have fallen. I guess, I don't really know. According to Serah that's what's happened to me, and I don't mean a simple trip – more like landing on an empty street in the middle of nowhere, stark naked, feeling like twelve shots of tequila.
1. Chapter 1

Okay, nobody panic! Lol, this is sorta, maybe, a lil bit of a rough draft...I have this great idea, but I am having some serious attachment anxiety with my "In Good Blood" series haha so I'm not 100% about this one. Now, let me warn you, I'm at a cross for doing this the way it is - in first person - or going a little bit outa my comfort zone and doing it in third person. I'm being super lazy about it though, so sometime this week I'm going to try to rewrite this chapter in third person and let you guys choose which is better. Alright, I'm done now :D

~Selene

* * *

_Fallen: Act or manner of falling; overthrow; succumbing to temptation; downward trend; amount of descent._

I have fallen. I guess, I don't really know. According to Serah that's what's happened to me, and I don't mean a simple trip – more like landing on an empty street in the middle of nowhere, stark naked, feeling like twelve shots of tequila and a face-plant into pavement.

I was Odin...so I've been told. The son of Bor and Bestla, I was the All Father, head honcho of the Norse pantheon, a dad to Balder, Hod, and Hermod. I was the God of war and death, I was a poet, a singer. I flipping owned my own hall in Asgard, "Valaskjalf," _and_ I had a freaking wife!

Mhm, you tell me if any of that's believable to an eighteen-year-old dude. Yeah, here, on Earth we do things a little different.

Now, I fell some six years ago, so I was about twelve. Me, being the Big Man Above people started to freak, trying to get me back. But...I'm still here, and so far all I've got from Valhalla or is it Asgard? Both I think. Well, all I've ever been given from up there is some really sketchy dreams, all that end with a splitting headache, dreams and a vile little fairy.

Yup, I said it. Fairy. Serah, apparently she was sent by Frigg, my _wife_. But believe you me, she's not the whole giggly, adorable, sparkly fairy you see in Disney movies. Ohhh no! Serah, is like a miniature hell on earth. Three whole inches of your worst nightmare. Her mission in life? Well, besides ruining mine, is to get me back to where I belong – ruling Asgard...or is it Valhalla?

Thing is, she hasn't found out how just yet.

So basically I'm stuck here. Here on Earth. Here I can't be Odin, that's just ridiculous, here I'm _Oddie_ Snow. Adopted son of Sam and Kelly Snow, older brother to Spenser Snow. King of the Nerds, Lord of the Losers, Master of the Swirly, the Walking Dictionary, not to mention the biggest freak in my high school.

Yeah, hero to zero, huh?


	2. Chapter 2

_Secret: Put (object, person, oneself) into place of concealment._

At 6:30am I sure as hell didn't feel like a God. Slamming my fist on the screeching alarm clock, I squinted around my dim room. As I sat up, Serah fell from my chest to the pool of grey bedding around my hips. She still snored away, I admired how she could sleep through just about anything.

Running my hand over my face I touched the scar over my right eye, feeling around my bedside table for my glasses. I really only need them for my one eye. I couldn't remember what had happened to it, probably screwed it up when I smoked my face on the pavement when I _fell_.

Moving from the bed I was careful not to disturb Serah as I slogged around my bedroom. Jeans. Were these dirty or clean? Did it really matter? I grabbed a t-shirt from another pile on the floor, rummaged in my drawers for boxers, then left my room to hunker up in the bathroom.

I hated having to share a bathroom with Spenser. Yeah, sure, I loved the kid and all – but _damn! _Was there a day that went by when I didn't step on some kind of pointy object?

The bathroom was a hell, littered with the disfigured bodies of Lego men, broken miniature soldiers, and some kind of Barbie that he insisted on calling an _action_-_figure_.

I filled the room with steam, trying to snatch up the remnants of the dream I'd had. I mean, it's not like, the first time I've woken up doused in sweat with my head reeling. It got so bad I threw up once or twice.

Racking my brain until the water ran cold, I stepped out of the shower, taking my towel from the hook on the back of the door and drying down.

"_Tell me nothing."_ That was as much as I could recall. It'd been a man's voice – an echoing one that crowded my head with a blur of images and people. None of it made sense.

Was it normal to have the same reoccurring dream? Yeah, sure, I mean Spenser claims to be chased by a horde of angry hamsters every other night. Don't ask me, because I seriously don't know what goes on in his head. But I mean, I've had the same dream since I can remember – which isn't very far back.

Passing my palm over the oval mirror built over the sink, I stared myself in the face. I'd been blonde since...since forever, however; recently it's been appearing more white to me than the sandy gold it used to be. It was forever goddamned wavy – even if I tried not to toss and turn in my sleep, it just went all..._not straight_.

Blue eyes, yeah, I know. Can anyone say cliché? They probably would have been nice eyes if I didn't have this scar. It split my down the right side of my face, the shiny puckered line started a bit above my eyebrow and went right down to my cheekbone. Luckily, I could still open my right eye. Though it wasn't like I could see my own reflection a few inches in front of me if I closed the left one.

Looking only through my right eye was similar to trying to see through mud.

I didn't look like my parents. Kelly was a tall brunette with violet-black eyes, almost as dark as her pupils. Spenser was identical to his father, same unruly mop of auburn hair, a mess of freckles and these impossibly joking green eyes.

I pretty much stood out like a painfully sore thumb. Whenever we went out I practically screamed ADOPTED, as if I had a flashing red arrow over my head.

Brushing my teeth quickly, I rinsed my mouth out with Listerine, tied my towel around my hips and made my way back to my room. Kelly bombed around in the kitchen downstairs, I sighed. Kelly was a spectacular mother, beautiful woman, had an irresistible personality and though she tried, her cooking skills did not excel past boiling water. It was a good day if she figured out how to turn the coffee maker on or, take the bread out of the toaster before it burned.

It didn't help that he was pregnant and had these crazy awful mood swings. We make her dinner, she wants breakfast. And the whole _conceiving_ phase? I didn't sleep for four months straight. Can you imagine explaining ovulation to your twelve-year-old brother?

I was just glad that it was finally over.

I mean, I must've been good at all this stuff before I was a teenager, right? I mean, if Serah was right – which she isn't – then I already went through all that...stress.

When I came back to my room it was to one furious kick in the nose. After slamming the door I flicked Serah, smirking as she flew backwards, tumbling over herself.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" She shouted, I made to grab her, holding my towel up with one hand, closing my right eye so I could see better. Serah screamed, biting my thumb when I wrapped my hand around her, the only thing that kept me from crushing her was the call outside my door.

"Oddie! Breakfast!" Kelly shouted up the stairs, I chucked Serah at my pillow, dropping the towel to throw my clothes on. I sprint out the door, closing it behind me before the damned fairy could follow.

I was doing my belt up on the stairs, pushing my glasses up my nose as I came into the kitchen. Kelly frantically fanned the toaster, belching out clouds of smoke, I raced towards her unplugging the thing. She looked at me, dark eyes hysteric, "Oh, Odin, I'm so sorry!" She threw her hands up, closing her eyes and moaning in defeat. "You know I try!"

"Forget it." I smiled at her, leaning down to kiss Kelly on the forehead. "I'm late anyways." I left the room just as Spenser and Sam came in, grumbling something about lowering the volume on my clock.

Yanking my jacket from the hall closet I brought the hood up and hurried outside, yelping when I felt a pinch on my ear. "How dare you leave me in that place!" Serah yelled, jerking at my earlobe.

"I'm _Odin_, I can do whatever I want!" I hissed back, stomping down the sidewalk, nodding at the neighbours who were awake this early. I felt the scar on my face while I walked across town, Serah's snarls speedily becoming snores while she napped on my shoulder.

Our school was a three-story, square shaped, red bricked nightmare that not even I, a God, could escape. Why then did I come back for another year? Well for one, I had no idea what I wanted to go to university for, and there was one teeny, tiny thing I couldn't leave just yet.

In a whirl of dark, rose petal pink hair, green-blue eyes, and a smile that nearly killed me, Slone shouted my name. Few people on campus glanced in my way and I ducked back into my hood, walking towards her.

Serah woke instantly, jumping up to jerk at my ear. "We don't have time for this Odin, we gatta find a way to get you back upstairs not how to get you a date!" Her shrill little voice made me wince.

As we approached Slone, Serah crawled under the safety of my collar, her nails like sewing needles digging into my skin.

Slone's hair, dyed pink for as long as I could remember, twisted in gentle curls over her left shoulder, long bangs draped over her face to hide her right eye. She trooped towards me in tall black army boots, where I followed her lean legs up to the beige jean skirt that was far too short.

She pressed her hands over the sleeveless faded, scarlet turtle neck she wore, tugging the zipper of her white equally sleeveless jacket up. I watched as she stretched her hands in the navy blue, open-fingered gloves she wore, and stared at her finally manicured nails when they touched my arm.

"Hey," She smiled wryly. "You're late." Her hand barely fit around my forearm and she hand to roll up on her toes to yank my hood down. The sudden cold of the morning air made me flinch and Slone grinned.

"Guess what?" Before I could even get a word out she was going on. Her hand slipping down my arm until her fingers twisted in mine. "Two weeks – that's fourteen days – until my birthday!"

"Yes!" I gasped sarcastically, "One year closer to the inevitable escape that is death, oh joy!" Slone smacked my arm, she wasn't strong enough to make any damage and she knew it.

She leaned into my shoulder, the two of us pacing slowly towards the hell that was the front entrance. People were still pouring in, but if my watch was synced right I had approximately four minutes to run to my locker, up the three flights of stairs to calculus.

"So what're you going to get me?" Slone demanded, subtlety was not her best suit. I rolled my eyes pushing my glasses up my face, turning my head a fraction so I could see her with my good eye.

God! Is it just me, or do I sound like some pathetic old man?

Pursing my lips, I tried to think of something Slone would like. But that ranged from simple flowers, all the way to the candy red motorcycle she'd seen on TV, and been moaning and groaning about.

If I learned anything about women from Kelly, it was that they never wanted what they told you, they always expected something bigger and better.

Finally I sighed in defeat, ignoring Serah's niggling pinches and scratches. I would definitely have a bruise there that would certainly look like something else, if she kept that up.

Clenching my teeth, I innocently rolled my shoulders, knowing such a common gesture would be like an earthquake to someone the size of lipstick. "What would you like? No hints – you have to be _specific_." I warned, baffled by the red hue that suddenly appeared over her cheeks.

"Well...I don't want a party." Slone mumbled and I laughed outright at this, bringing her to the locker pod I belonged to. Slone slouched against the creaky lockers beside mine and I fiddled with the lock.

It was difficult to remember the combination, simply because I had gone through about twelve locks each year. Someone was always super-gluing my lock so I couldn't open it. That, or they were jamming it so even if the combo worked the latch wouldn't come apart.

Nothing had happened to this one. Yet. Of course it did nothing for the words: GEEK, NERD, LOSER, written on my locker in an assortment of colours and permanent marker. I hadn't bothered to tell the janitor, even if he washed them off they would all be back up again by lunch time.

I snorted, glancing at her and smirking. "Of course, because my party throwing skills are just impeccable, right?" I earned a smile for my efforts, but it quickly faded and Slone looked at me seriously.

"What if..." Her voice faded while I skimmed through the alphabetical alignment of my binders then snatched my calculus books. I slammed my locker shut, leaning down almost to her level, noting how Slone almost instantly tilted her head up to me.

"What if what?" I asked, holding my books to my side and trying to understand the expression on her face. It was something of a cross between embarrassment and nervousness.

Slone tilted her head so her eyes were both hidden from me. "What if I just want _you_?" Her voice was nothing more than a whisper. Immediately Serah was piping up, her claws snagging my earlobe as she barked, "Tell her no! Are you crazy? Um hello, Odin, you're _married_!"

It took about half of a second for my testosterone to slam into overdrive. I opened my mouth, trying to think of something to say, when a familiar voice tore us apart before I could even take a breath.

"Oddie, I hope you're not hitting on my baby sister!" Edwin Anders walked in, arms over his chest, his expression one of mock outrage. I tried to laugh for his benefit but it just didn't happen.

Okay, I know it's wrong. Dating your best friend's younger sister..._secretly_, as in Edwin didn't have a clue whatsoever. Once or twice I was really glad he was a hockey junky that didn't know left from right. That sounds bad, but believe me, he'd been in enough fights on the ice most of his teeth were just acrylic replacements.

Slone moved away from me to a more appropriate distance, her entire face flushed. Edwin chuckled and clapped me on the back with one of his big hands. The impact was enough to knock the breath from me.

"I'm just kidding, dude, loosen up!" Edwin winked and I forced a smile that was so fake it could have fallen right off my face. Slone slunk out her brother's line of sight before she slipped right out of the locker bay.

I shook my head, "Sixteen's a bit young to be dating a senior, don't ya think?" It'd really meant to be a joke, but the way I said it made it seem suspicious. I just hoped Edwin didn't catch it.

"Ha! Yeah, right." Edwin laughed, "Hey, I'll see ya at lunch, I got a hot date with a math test." His voice lowered near the end and he rolled his eyes dramatically, carrying his hulking figure back out into the hall.

Sucking in a few breaths, I squeezed my eyes shut. How far is too far? Dating a girl almost a year and-a-half younger than you, who also happens to be one of your closest friends youngest sister, lying about said dating and now...

I couldn't think of it, pushing my glasses up again and racing for calculus. Serah, all the while, chastised me for being a guy and having any interest in Slone in the first place. Trying to sneak into Mr. Piers class had proved to be impossible, the last five times I'd tried it failed miserably so I walked in quietly.

"You're late. Again."

Wincing, I ground my teeth together taking my seat in the back corner of the room while I murmured. "I could teach this class twelve times over." Serah snorted in my ear, taking refuge under my collar again.

"Sleep in?" Someone whispered, I shifted in my seat to look over at Natasha Fields, one of the first of the three friends I have whom I met in grade nine. I nodded, slouching down further in my seat.

Natasha had thick brown hair, pouty grey eyes and curvy full lips, all perfectly positioned on her heart shaped head. She was the only person I knew outside of myself who could recite every element on the periodic table, and their atomic numbers. She used to have a thing for me at the start of the year.

Natasha was also the only one in our group who ever suspected something between Slone and I. She'd given up trying to reveal our secret, partially because I was the only person who knew of her relationship with Mr. McCullough. Or, to her, I suppose it would be Damien, our English teacher. Trust me, I regretted almost walking into class early that day.

Calculus wasn't something I dreaded like the rest of my classmates, if anything it was unbelievably easy and tedious. Today, Mr. Piers was going on about the concavity of polynomial functions – yeah, it's a mouthful, but it's simpler than you would think.

He gave out homework like he did roughly every day. I finished too quickly and had time enough to spare on thinking. Serah snored in my ear, the itchy lump of her teeny body the only reminder that what I was hearing was real.

Edwin and Slone's parents were friends with my parents, so it was natural for the three of us to gravitate towards each other. The only issue was, that I was the perpetually timid child who preferred stashing away in his room to read up on world history.

Meanwhile, Slone and Edwin were complete and total sports jockeys, Slone doing gymnastics since she was four and Edwin pretty much learned how to skate before he could crawl.

Not exactly the ideal trio.

Slone was the only one who ever showed an interest in the things I did. Not that, as a ten-year-old she could understand half of it, but I was glad to have her company.

It was no wonder that she became the glue holding Edwin and I together once we reached high school, we were from two utterly different circles after all. Edwin defended me in earlier grades, warding off more and more of his jock friends the burlier he got. If I was a God or not, thinking tactically and rationally, there was no way I would ever desire to be on Edwin's bad side.

Which is why Slone and I remain a secret.

I often pondered how our whole...relationship came full circle. Slone trailed along with Edwin and I on frog hunting adventures when we were twelve. Then on road trips when we both attained our licenses – I got mine my first time round, Edwin got his on his eighth. She was just always with me, even when Edwin wasn't.

Slone and I had become even closer when she began failing science in eighth grade. As bad as that may sound, however; it was common sense that I tutor her in these subjects rather than her parents send her away to summer school. My classes lasted until she aced each and every one of her tests.

When she reached high school, and was well equipped with the knowledge she would need to continue in science, she began flunking again. This time all her classes but one.

I never truthfully considered the reasons behind her slipping grades, just that she needed my help and I wasn't going to abandon her. That's just me.

I had slashed it down to a moment where thrill and curiosity won out over proper, strategic thinking. I could remember the conversation we were having perfectly...

"And they call it biodiversity because? Ugh! You have to focus!" I growled, snapping my finger's in Slone's face. Her eyes were closed, and she moaned when I shook her, throwing her arm over her face.

"It's so boring though, can't you just let me fail!" She whined pink hair spiked across the white of her bedroom carpet, she rolled onto her stomach, buried her face in it and screamed.

_Melodramatic. No wonder she's flying through drama. _I thought, closing one of my three text books and sighed, "Maybe we need a break." At that she flipped over and sat up gleefully.

Slone shuffled towards me on her knees, pushing my glasses up with one hand and touching my scar with her other. I closed my right eye completely. The skin around my scar was usually numb, but Slone's fingertips burned me where she touched.

I swallowed loudly, realizing just how inappropriate this was, unsure of how to move her away without being rude. Slone's lips parted and my train of thought derailed, I tried to remember what I was thinking as her eyes narrowed and her fingers moved down to my cheek.

"What happened?" She asked finally, in awe at the ugly line that marred the right half of my face. I took in our closeness, and instantly wished that Serah wasn't sleeping in my coat pocket, the coat that was in downstairs, in the front hall.

Shrugging, I counted the long hairs that fell in her face every time she moved. The long, slender line of her nose, the smooth curve of her oval face still lined with the faintest remnants of childhood. The fierce green-blue eyes placed perfectly on her face. They were just like Edwin's...

Clenching my teeth I shrunk away from her hands, my glasses falling from my face and into my lap. Perfect distraction. "I'm not sure, it's been there forever." I mumbled collecting my glasses, I pulled the bottom of my shirt up to wipe her fingerprints off the lenses.

"Hey do you remember Natasha Fields?" Slone murmured, turning away from me to glance at the full length mirror across from us, she fixed her hair.

I snorted, "Sure I remember Natasha, why?" Of course I remembered Natasha. _I_ was the one who introduced Slone and Edwin to her, _I_ was the reason we'd all hung out together this summer so much.

"Do you like her?" Slone asked, facing me sharply, hitting me with the full force of her fierce gaze. I held my breath for a moment, I didn't like Natasha, Natasha liked me. There was a difference.

Making a face, I pulled my fingers through my hair, "Not...in _that_ way, no." Slone spun round, snapping into me like an elastic, her hand in my hair as her mouth crashed over mine.

My face scrunched, it was like I'd bitten into a lime. Slone sighed, slouching onto me and tying her arms around my shoulders. Her hair tickled my face when I brought her closer, Slone groaned.

Slone. Slone who was Edwin's baby sister – practically my baby sister! I pushed her away and scrambled to my feet. She kept her eyes closed a few seconds longer, looking to me with her hand over her lips. "I'm sorry, Odin."

I pressed my lips together, nodding slowly. "It's...um, we'll...we'll start again tomorrow. Same time." I said all this over my shoulder, leaving the room with her on the floor.

Traitor. Back stabber. Betrayer.

Serah bumped around in my pocket as I threw my coat on, hurrying out the front door, running down the driveway. Edwin was going to hate me.

Blinking I sat up in my chair, feeling a tap on my shoulder. Turning slightly I looked up at Natasha, she grinned widely at me. "C'mon sleepy head."

To any other student, my morning was a nightmare. With calculus first period and history second. Of course I had peer-tutoring after lunch and then English last period. It was easy, to me anyways, I had no problem with calculus, it was just history class I despised.

Ms. Austin has a desk outside in the hall, slanted just enough that I can still write my notes off the board. It's my desk. She'd banished me from her classroom when I finally made her snap. I mean, this lady knows nothing about history, I'm certain that she only got this job by waving her chest around and flipping her hair. That bubblehead.

Every class since the beginning of the semester I had been correcting her. I'd even bought a laser pointer so I could point out the places on the world map she couldn't find. Now, I sat at the back of the room – like I did in every class – and when I closed my right eye and lifted my glasses I could read the map as if I stood directly in front of it.

Ms. Austin tried to tell the class that Hitler invaded Poland in 1935. This, mind you, couldn't have happened because Mussolini Invaded Ethiopia in 1935 to gain more oil resources. Poland was occupied by Hitler September 1st, 1939. See what I mean by bubblehead?

So she screamed at me and asked me if I would like to teach the class. Which I gladly obliged to, I even wrote a note for the class. After this she totally peaked and demanded that I take my desk outside and stay there.

And that is where I have been for the past few months.

I walked with Natasha to her locker, her going on about how her little brother Jake ate her lip gloss again. I was so glad Spenser just left his toys all over the damn place and didn't devour my things. Once we were at her locker she asked if we were still going to the Ander's place on Friday for movie night. I shrugged, "Probably. If I see Ed I'll ask him."

Natasha tensed suddenly, biting her lip and turning to hide her face in her locker. I glanced over my shoulder without really glancing – something she had taught me to do – Mr. McCullough grinned before walking into his classroom.

I couldn't understand what she saw in him, then again, I'm the guy dating the girl with pink hair. I sighed, "You know, that's kind of illegal." Natasha laughed her dreamy laugh and nodded. I knew she wasn't really listening by how she tilted her head and flicked her hair. Why do girls do that so much?

Rolling my eyes I slouched against the locker beside hers. Serah pinched my skin and I tried to hide my grimace. I wanted to swat my shoulder, but I'd probably squash her if I did. It wasn't that I had an issue squishing her, it's just that I wasn't a big fan of fairy gloop on my shoulder.

"Hey, I'll see you at lunch." I mumbled, catching a glimpse of pink down the hall. Natasha waved at me without looking, which I was somewhat grateful for.

I loath school hallways, I have to keep my head low, have to stay quiet and attempt to ignore the whispers. There were lots of, "_Freak_," and the occasional, "_ugh, what a weirdo_" and I can't forget the, "_hey_ _there's Snow, he's so gross_." You learn to grit your teeth and keep walking when you're me.

It made it worthwhile when snatched Slone up, hearing the abrupt gasps when I squeezed her to me. She kicked her feet up, wriggling in my grasp until she was free. Slone whirled around, punching me in the stomach, I groaned for her benefit, though it truthfully hadn't hurt a bit.

"That was discreet," She frowned at me, peering around for any of Edwin's friends. What could they tell him, that I carried his little sister? Who the hell do you think had to lug her around on hikes? When Slone got tired, Edwin certainly didn't want to take charge for her.

She peered up at me and said, "I'm skipping." Slone's nose wrinkled when I glowered at her. "I don't like science Odin, you know that!" She whined, stomping her foot to emphasise her distaste.

I shook my head, pushing my glasses up and ignoring the nagging Serah was doing from under my shirt. "I didn't spend all summer with you for you just to give up on it." Her hair fell into her face long, layered pink hairs covering her eye.

Slone giggled, gazing around before slipping her fingers into mine. "Yes you did." I squeezed her hand before releasing her fingers, my palm felt empty after I did it, the warmth entirely gone. "Skip with me, you're already passing history with flying colours." Slone waved her hands in the air to indicate said flying colours.

I smiled, it would be nice to have that time during the day. Not to mention Slone was right, I'd taught that class already there was no need to go if I did not want to. "I'll skip-" Slone's gleaming eyes brightened "-But we will be _studying_."

Slone rolled her eyes, lifting her chin triumphantly as she trooped off ahead of me. She swung her arms, strides extending, Slone's parents did not handle imperfection very well, and I could see her Father's arrogant march when she walked this way.

I followed Slone to her locker after we briefly stopped by mine to pick up my other books. I froze when she held out Edwin's car keys to me, narrowing my eyes at her I hissed, "Have you totally lost your mind? If Ed-" Slone cut me off with a snort.

"Don't worry about it," She slammed her locker shut. "Him and his buddies are looking up some girl's gym shorts in PE." I winced, Slone just shrugged, "You know how he is."

Edwin's car was a lazy black Ford Mustang, that had previously belonged to his Uncle. We'd spent the summer cleaning and tuning it back to it's glory though the thing still threw in a choke once in a while, and had random bursts of power, that would slam you back into the seat at the first chance it got.

It smelt of grease and the apple flavoured tobacco Edwin insisted on chewing. Slone reclined in the passenger seat, arms thrown over her face, her feet up on the dashboard. "So what university are you going to? Harvard?"

I snorted, and shrugged while slouching further into the driver's seat. Edwin's bulky frame had firmly been embedded in the seat, it just made me feel even more idiotic for being here. Made what Slone and I were doing seem even more illicit than it already was. "Um, I got accepted at a bunch. Decided to go to Dartmouth – Nova Scotia seems nice."

Slone snapped up in her seat, pink hair bouncing on her shoulders, "That's like, a million miles from here." She shook her head at me, nose wrinkling.

A smile made my lips quiver, "It's not that far. Besides, the whole small town thing's killing me, I mean, I love Scotland, it's everything to me but..." My voice started to fade and I settled for another shrug, crossing my arms over my chest.

Slone stammered a bit before she could get a sentence out. "B-but then I'll never see you. And it's not like they'll have a program for stupid people by the time I graduate." I laughed, gazing over at Slone before realizing just how serious she was about this.

Clearing my throat I stared straight ahead, moving my glasses and closing my right eye to read the license plate of the Chevy in front of us. I didn't get it. I can see so far away without my glasses, yet when I opened both eyes it was like half of me was staring through mud.

"_We're_ not going to be...like _this_ by the time you graduate. Maybe even by the end of this year." I spoke through my teeth, ignoring Slone's gasp, sucking in a deep breath like there may be a sudden lack of oxygen. Serah, tucked away in my sweater pocket, started to scrabble around and I had to lower my hands to my lap to cover her movements.

Slone grunted, "Well, why not?" Now she was angry. I risked a peek over at her. The scrunched nose, the tight frown, her clenched jaw, her narrowed eyes. Very angry indeed. I wondered if she'd punch me in the face. Again.

I'd made her mad by bringing up this fact before, so mad she'd snatched my glasses and nearly broke my nose. On the plus side, she was courteous enough to take my glasses off. And it wasn't like I could hit her back – not that I ever would.

Pressing my lips together I combed my hair back, "C'mon Slone, I'm gonna be 2784 miles away, you're gonna be training for the Olympics or something." She didn't budge, green-blue eyes closing a moment before she swore and faced away from me.

"_So_?" She spoke to the glass, I was suddenly glad all the windows were tinted. "Why does that change things?" Her voice shook there before becoming as solid as steel, "I can't believe you said that to me, Odin."

I didn't want to hurt her feelings, it's just not me, I don't take pleasure in hurting girls like Edwin does. Slone knew that, but it didn't make things any better, then again what did she expect me to say?

Edwin wasn't going to be a moron forever – at least I hope not – and her Father hates me, her Mom thinks I need plastic surgery. Our circles don't mesh socially, imagine what they'd do if they found out about us. I wouldn't know, because Edwin would kill me, not to mention the fact that I'm adopted is enough to ban me from their country club.

Like I said, Slone's family doesn't tolerate imperfection. It's a miracle our parents are even friends.

"I don't know what you want." I murmured, feeling like a dork. "You knew it wasn't going to last, I mean, we're kind of from two different...worlds?"

Serah moved in my pocket, her words muffled, but enough that I could hear them. "You got that right!" I jostled my sweater around, hearing her desperate pleas for me to stop.

Slone grunted, "I don't care. It's been working up 'till now – now you're just being an asshole." She glared at me from under a layer of rosy pink, her eyes so intense I had to look away. "Like, why did you even bother staying if you were just gonna dump me anyway? Could've just went to Dartmouth last year and ended all this with that."

My mouth got heavy, a deep frown taking over my lips. "I didn't say that." I mumbled, pushing my glasses up with my middle finger. "It's just that...that you knew it'd happen sooner or later."

Slone whirled on me, her face so close to mine I could practically feel her words cutting through my skin. "No, actually I didn't. But since we're here why don't we just make it _sooner_."

"I didn't say that." I leaned down slanting my mouth over hers, Slone jerked back, hair in her face. She looked shocked then, if possible, angrier than before.

She swore at me, loud enough that the car suddenly seemed to shrink around us. "I don't believe you, and after this morning-" Slone's face went red with remembrance "-_Ugh_, I hate you!" She tore at the passenger door, yanking her hand from mine when I reached for her. "Don't!" Slone hissed, "Not ever again!"

She slammed the door and stomped back towards the school. I thought about going after her, thought about it so long that by the time I opened my door she was long gone.

Serah wriggled out of my sweater, I held my hand out for her, She snorted at me. "You know it's better this way, you would've had to leave her anyways."

Oh, yeah, right. I'm a God.


	3. Chapter 3

Necromancy: Art of predicting by means of communicating with the dead.

"Hell no." I stared at Serah as she slipped through the gate bars. She'd got me up at 4:00am, made me sneak out to bring me to some creepy cemetery? She really has lost it, crazy damn pixie.

"Odin, you're the God of war, knowledge, _death_! If you don't get your butt over this fence I swear you'll regret it." Serah's threat was as frightening as a bunny rabbit, c'mon, I can _flick_ her!

I chuckled humourlessly, "That doesn't mean I'm gonna walk around a bloody cemetery!" Serah gawked at me brown eyes wide, she held her jaw together tightly, flinging herself at me.

"Oh yes you are, the faster you go in there, the faster we get the First Task over with." I scooped her out of the air, holding the fairy tightly in my fist, Serah looked horrified, as if she'd just said something she most certainly shouldn't have.

Narrowing my eyes at her I lifted her to my face, growling out, "What First Task?" Serah was sheepish, shrugging her shoulders dramatically and gazing up at me with large, nervous eyes.

Why did those words seem so familiar to me? First Task. What did that mean? I had this horrible notion that those two words were meant to be very, very important to me.

Blowing out a heavy breath, one that quickly became a ghost of white vapour in the air I shook my head. "Fine." Releasing Serah, I stepped into the gate, tugging at the fat chains keeping me out. What I wouldn't give for some superhuman strength.

"Why couldn't I be Hercules?" I huffed, hoisting myself up onto the thick bars, struggling to climb up further. "Oh no!" I grunted, swinging my leg over the top of the gate, anxiously avoiding the sharp black stakes at the top. "I gatta be frigging Odin, gatta go into some freaky cemetery, gatta – ahh!"

My sneakers slipped, sending me over the gate and down onto my back with a thump. Serah giggled while I groaned, damn I can't breathe! Coughing, I rolled over, the grass smelt of fresh dew, of rain...of dead people.

"Gah!" I snapped upwards, staggering back to fall over a tombstone and land on my side. I scurried up to my feet, brushing bracken and mud from my clothes.

Serah shook her head, laughing out a hushed, "Tsk, tsk, tsk." She waited for me to collect myself before saying anything more. "You've heard of necromancy right?"

I gaped at her, jaw dangling from it's hinges. "You're insane!" Digging my fingers in my hair I stomped around three other headstones. "If you think I'm gonna try to contact some dead person, you've totally lost it!"

Serah waved her hands at me, shaking her head like I was some pitiful child fussing over chores. "Relax, it's not that hard. Besides, if you don't, _I_ will and _you'll_ have to banish them." Serah squealed, "That could be fun!"

When I glared at her again, I honestly thought about smacking her and her tiny pixie form out of the air like some frigging fly. Serah rest her fists on her hips, gliding around the few headstones curiously, "Not here, it's too noticeable, let's go!"

Serah vanished in a cloud of twinkly gold flecks, panic made my heart leap. "Don't leave me here!" I chased after her, springing myself over the tombstones she merely flew by.

The fairy lead me to a corner of the cemetery that was clearly long forgotten. The stones we had passed were surrounded by wreaths and tufts of flowers. These tombs here were desolate and cracking, overgrown with moss, the words engraved in them long since faded.

Early morning fog left the cemetery in a haze of white. The air was heavy and sticky, smelling of a possible storm, and the sudden chill that wove through the graveyard made me shiver.

I kneeled over myself and groaned out low, gasping for air. Serah looked at me and rolled her eyes, she turned for a grave and lowered onto the stone. I pushed my glasses up properly and watched her carefully lay her tiny hands on the rock.

Serah gasped after a moment of quiet, the noise making me jump up. "This is the one." She decided, "The recently deceased are easiest to call, you should be able to get him across in no time." Serah looked over at me cheerfully, sitting herself on the tombstone patiently.

Blinking at her, I couldn't help but laugh, "You-you're _joking_ right?" My laughter came harder, Serah's expression quickly becoming one of annoyance. I shook my head, and I thought Edwin took jokes too far.

Serah hissed, "I couldn't be more serious. I'll guide you through it slowly-" I gawked at her horribly solemn expression "-Now kneel and place your hand over the grave."

Closing my eyes and swallowing every profanity I could think of, I lowered myself over the grave to sit on my legs, palm hovering over the grass as instructed. Serah grinned, standing on the stone and pacing back and forth along the smooth curve.

"Relax-" She ignored me when I snorted "-clear your mind of all thought, focus only on the name Frasier Seeley." Serah paused to wait for me, it took a few minutes for me to be rid of all the sarcastic remarks crossing my mind. I pictured a vague image of a man in my head, bringing the name to mind and centering everything on that.

Serah sighed, "Now, stay calm. Try to imagine pulling on that name, drawing it towards yourself...good...now don't move." I did as Serah said, but I lost track of Frasier as Slone came to mind, it was easier now, I could _feel_ it. The way she bent when I pulled her against me...

"Odin stop!" Serah screamed, my eyes flying open just as she punched me square on the nose. Wincing, I brought my hands to my face, my eyes starting to water from the sheer force of that puny fist. "You never call on the essence of _living_ people you idiot! _Never_! You could've just turned your pretty little girlfriend into a Fiend!"

I made a face at her, "A Fiend?" I shook my head at Serah, clearly she hadn't seen Slone when she was angry, that girl had seriously passed the level of Fiend.

Serah muttered an oath, glowering at me with her great big brown eyes. "Mortals call them bogeymen? You know, monsters, demons, _devils_?" She stared at me as if I was truly a moron. "Ugh...Fiends are souls who are either left in 'limbo,' or refuse to move on to the 'other side' – Niflheim, a hall that belongs to Hel. When this happens these souls become Fiends, rogues that devour other spirits, from the living and those of the dead."

Serah rose up to my eye level, jabbing me in the face with her slender index finger. "You just about brought out Slone's soul, leaving it right there in the open for a Fiend to consume. She could've been this empty husk set on eating human essences." Slone laughed humourlessly "Next time you lean in to kiss her she'd be after a bit more than your mouth."

I snorted, she already was.

Rolling my eyes I shrugged, "Well if I can do that from here, can't I put it back too?" Serah shook her head, cupping her face in her palms. I could have sworn I'd heard her shrieking into them too.

"Not always. You might've been lucky to get away with it, but the presence of a single soul attracts dozens of Fiends." Serah murmured, her expression grave. "Just don't do it again alright, we can't exert too much power at a time," Serah warned, waving her finger at me. "If something like _that_ knew _you_ were here, in _human_ form we'd be done for."

I didn't know if I should believe her. The look of Serah's face made my skin crawl, I knew better now than to question her, however; it all seemed way too fantastic to be real. Serah lost her hostility for an instant, pointing at the grave. "Again – this time _focus_."

Breathing slowly, I started up again. First I closed my eyes, unwinding as best I could, clearing out my thoughts and, finally, pulled Frasier through. Serah murmured, "Good...keep going...little more...not that much! Better...just like that..."

It was harder than I thought, thinking about nothing, using as little 'power' as I could and straining to stay focused on a single thing. I felt Serah's presence, hovering beside me, grow smaller and smaller until we were both overcome by a booming crack.

When I opened my eyes, I scurried back and way from the void in the earth. Three graves that had once been lined beside each other moaned out and crumbled to dust. Serah gasped, jerking at my ear, "What've you done?" She demanded.

I flew to my feet when a crackling hand reached out for me, the clatter of bones and the rocking of the earth beneath me made us fall over. An arm, all bone and rotting flesh, burst from the ground beside me, the yellowing fingers snatching at my clothes. A dead, chipped fingernail tore off on my sleeve, maggots crawled over my arm where the dead hand had seized me, and I hurried to shake them off.

Looking to Serah's horrified face, the wide doe eyes, her mouth agape. I screamed, "What you told me to do!"


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry it took me so long to post this, I've been pretty crazy the last few weeks lol but I had TONS of fun writing the first little bit so I hope you guys have as much fun reading it :D and thanks so much for the reviews!

~Selene_

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I stared into the hollowed eyes of the corpse, the right side of the woman's face was grey, veins roping over the inexistent muscle beneath her flesh. It was black and putrefied where earth creatures had eaten away the revolting skin, the areas where strong fibres had kept her face up had long since diminished, leaving shallow grooves and disgusting purple-ish bags of drooping skin.

While the other half of her face was yellowed and cracking bone, her teeth clicked together eerily as if she was trying to speak. I could see through the places where her teeth had fallen out, a black decayed tongue flicking against the squares of her browned teeth. Fat, white maggots swirled over that dark flailing lump, gnawing away at the dead muscle.

My stomach lurched and I sprawled back on the ground, staring back at the rattling corpse clawing its way toward me. The man's flesh remained graciously intact. Though his jaw hung open at an awful angle, a long grey tongue swayed more with his efforts to reach me. His knob-like fingers pawed the grass, his pale blue eyes rolling back within his head. A terrible gurgling noise came from the back of his throat. This sound, entwined with the chattering the teeth of the woman on top of me, made my skin crawl.

Clenching my teeth, I winced at the press of icy, dead fingers on my ankle. Sharp, angular fingers of whatever creature had begun it's ascent from the ground.

They stilled there, surrounding me, waiting for my next command.

"Odin..." Serah whimpered, "Send them back. Send them back!" I could see her floating above me, but could barely hear her voice over the bumbling and wailing and gurgling and rattling. "Send them back!" She repeated anxiously.

I wanted to tell her I couldn't, that no matter how hard I tried to push them back in the way she'd described to me, they would not listen.

Clattering in my ear drew my attention, and I unintentionally turned to stare into the greying ribcage of another body. A pair of blackened lungs dangled inside the cage of bones, slapping against each other, between them was not a heart but a silvery, round chunk of metal meant to replace it. It produced this horrid clanking noise whenever the lungs smacked together.

The air around me felt thin and fading, as if it was choking off with every breath I took, replaced by a sudden fetid smog that burned my eyes and seared my nose and throat.

Squeezing my eyes shut I whispered, "Off," The corpses babbled around me, an orchestra of death. "Get off me." They responded by retreating at a painfully slow pace, unable to move as fast as I wanted them to.

Sitting up jerkily, I sucked in a gasping breath and stammered, "B-b-back to your graves." It was almost impossible to keep myself sitting and not jumping up and sprinting the hell out of here. They would follow me, I knew, but it just seemed like such a great idea.

Holding my breath within my chest, I focused only on banishing them like Serah had said. Feeling the weight of their souls in my hands, airy yet impeccably heavy, I pushed them away, blowing out a brief breath.

The cemetery fell silent after a minute. I collapsed onto the grass, my body erupting in shivers. Before I was ready, Serah was frantically pulling on me, my ears, my shirt, my _lip_.

"Odin we have to go – we _have to go_! There's someone coming, hurry!" I jumped to my feet before Serah could finish her sentence, glancing around before spotting ghosts in the fog, a group of people running at us.

Peering around quickly, I jumped the gaping, bottomless hole in the ground and chased Serah across the cemetery again. My chest was sore and my throat was brittle by the time we collided with the fence. Serah slunk through the bars effortlessly, waving her hand for me to follow.

I scurried up the gate, launching myself over and tearing my shirt on one of the fat metal stakes lining the top of the fence. There wasn't time to remove any evidence though, and I hurried to keep up with Serah as she sliced through the air in front of me.

We ran down the sidewalk – well _I_ ran – stumbling on the steep hill that took us back into the heart of town. Instead of racing through the city at 6:20am, I took Serah through the ever green fields and large backyards, Edwin and I used to cut through when we were super late for school.

Grass whispered along my pants, damp blades tugging at the base of my shirt. Serah screamed when Nelson, one of the Ander's Newfoundlanders came barrelling off the deck and towards us. Little did the pixie know, Nelson's chain from the back door only extended a good fifty or so feet before choking him off.

The small jet-black horse that Nelson is, came to a gripping halt, flipping onto his back. My fingers folded on the edge of the tall wooden fence that divided Mr. And Mrs. Campbell's yard and the Ander's. Hoisting myself up with a grunt, I paused to squint at Nelson's chain, that was beginning to snap where it was nailed into the house. That dog is as strong as an ox.

I didn't stay much longer, hopping from the top of the fence to land gracelessly in Mr. Campbell's vegetable garden. Serah stopped her flying to turn and laugh shamelessly at me, my pants and shoes ruined by manure.

Muttering an oath, I kicked what I could off and continued my sprint through the yard. Shoving through the thick bushels that kept we beasts and the stuck-up Campbell's separated, I knew I had finally reached safety.

I was exhausted, glowering up at Serah who hovered just over my head to stare into the Campbell's back lawn. "Very discreet." She scowled, yelping when I seized her lithe form.

"Don't you ever make me do that again!" I snarled, tempted to crush her in my fist and be done with the whole 'get back to the Gods' drama once and for all. Serah clawed at my fingers desperately, kicking her puny feet and straining to wriggle from my grasp. "For some First Task – I don't even know what that means! I'm done with this, Serah, it's over!"

Flinging her across the yard, I watched the tiny pixie spiral through the air, with a shrill shriek. I stumbled up onto the deck, thinking of the chattering teeth beside my head, the sloppy smack of the corpse's lungs around the hunk of shiny metal. My stomach lurched and I leaned over the deck railing to hurl all over Kelly's weed infested flowerbed.

My head whirled with both lack of sleep and nausea, my clammy hands struggling to hold the rail as I threw up again and once again. Serah curled herself in my hair, pulling back a clump as if to hold it out of my face. "Better now?" She asked, patting my forehead with a teeny hand.

Wiping my mouth on the back of my hand I fell back onto the deck and held my palms over my face. "Jesus Christ." I huffed, tongue tasting foul, the back of my throat gone numb with brutal scratches. It hurt my chest to inhale, breathing over the sour, dry flavour of puke.

"You'll be okay." She sighed, letting the tuft of blond hair she'd been holding flop back into my face. "You should get inside before the neighbours see what you've done."

For once, I didn't fight with Serah. Heaving myself to my feet I dragged my hands across the panels of the house until I found the lower floor window I'd climbed out of this morning. It was easier to get out than it was to get in, and I found myself falling on my face on the bathroom floor, right hand sunk down the drain of the toilet seat.

Serah giggled as I yanked my hand out of the bowl. More now than ever, I was wishing I listened to Kelly all those times she told me to put the seat down. Once I was on my feet again, I lifted the screen that'd I'd popped out earlier, jamming it back into the window before locking it.

After washing my hands I splashed some water onto my face, hunched over the sink. My stomach clenched up, a tight ball filling my throat as I sucked in a deep breath. When I looked up to the large rectangular mirror in front of me, I realized something was missing.

"God damn it!" I hissed, kicking a massive dent into the drywall. I whirled in the bathroom, hand over my right eye as I glared around the tight space, "_Serah_!" It was a scream as I slammed my fist on the porcelain sink.

The teeny fairy had herself pinned against the wall, I wanted to mash her into the beige paint like some moth. "Where the hell are my glasses?"

"Dude, where the hell are your glasses?" Edwin snorted around a chuckle, he watched me carefully, taking a bite from the apple he held in his fist.

I blinked back a glare and shrugged, "I think I left them somewhere in my room. Spenser probably stole them." Serah moved around in my jean pocket and I scowled, for all I knew my glasses were somewhere in a random grave in the cemetery.

Edwin nodded as if he cared at all about my glasses and then laughed, "Your brother's a freak." Edwin took another bite from his apple, slouching back into the table. I pushed the cap from my grape juice around the table, listening the scrapping noise when Ed nudged me.

Peering up at him, I held the bottle cap in my fist. Edwin was gawking across the cafeteria, directing my attention to a group of girls that had walked in the swinging doors. I had to close my right eye and squint to see them all clearly, though it was all just an act. None of these girls had pink hair, therefore none held my interest.

"Slept with her," Edwin was muttering, bringing my concentration back to him. I cringed as his list became dirtier and dirtier down to things I'd never want to hear come out of another dude's mouth.

Someone sighed, "Hey, where's the specs?" Instantaneously I was on my feet to greet Natasha and Slone. The words had come from Tasha, but I hoped desperately that Slone would make some kind of comment.

She hadn't spoken to me all day, something that bothered me more than I really wanted to let on. Slone's ferocious eyes met mine and I dropped back into my seat without a sound. It was difficult to make up with someone who didn't want to make up with you.

Slone sat across from me as she always did. I wanted to believe that she did this because she still wanted me, not to avoid questioning from Edwin and Tasha. Though, the way she avoided any eye contact with me proved I was wrong.

"Oddie?" Natasha sang, I shook my head and glanced blankly over at her. Tasha laughed, "The specs?"

I nodded, clearing my throat as I pivoted a fraction to face her. "Spenser took them." I lied again, not liking that I had to, but what could I tell her? I'd raised the dead and my glasses were quite possibly knocked off by said living dead?

Folding my fingers around the neck of my bottle I brought it to my mouth. It was a relief to taste the icy flavour of sweet grapes, artificial flavouring and much too much sugar.

I just about choked when someone pushed their legs through mine. Swallowing sharply, I coughed and wheezed, making Edwin chortle while my eyes watered.

Slone pulled her chair closer to the table, though she still didn't look up from the salad she was plucking absentmindedly at. Her calf moved down my own, before she crossed her ankles between feet.

So, in other words, I hadn't completely made her hate me.

It took everything I had to make good solid conversation with Edwin, while playing footsy with his sister. Natasha often threw in her own remark, listening as we discussed different movies for Friday night. Slone mumbled something every once in a while, though otherwise remained quiet.

"I don't like horror movies Edwin!" Tasha snapped, smacking her fist down on the table, Ed glanced at her and rolled his eyes. I sat back and snickered while they went back and forth at each other, Edwin's maturity level did not seem to surpass that of a four-year-old, thus any opportunity he got to bitch and moan, he gladly took it.

I looked across the table at Slone, the way she brushed her hair from her face, the way she would scowl down at the leafy greens in her container, it was all so interesting to me. She peeked up at me through the rosy layers of her hair, lips fidgeting on her face, though her glare stayed firm and unyielding.

It was better than nothing, I could handle a glower. I mean, she hadn't spoken to me in nearly three days – that was something I couldn't deal with.

Lunch went on as usual, Edwin and Natasha arguing for the most part, then we separated for our different classes. My Afternoon was lazy though I stammered and stumbled through the English class I peer-tutored. Slone was in that class, hence my inability to carry on respectably. I slumped hopelessly through history, more often than not slamming my face off my desk while Ms. Austin went on in her bubble head ways.

"Hey," Slone called, gliding into my locker bay as I prepared my things. I glanced down at her, wondering what I could possibly say to her now. She smiled when I rambled, going on with her sentence as she watched me through her hair. "Edwin's got a date, Natasha's meeting up with you know who, so basically I have nobody to take me to gymnastics so..." She rolled up on her toes then back to her heels while pursing her lips at me.

Her mouth – more or less the shape of it – distracted me for a moment. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, Slone's fierce eyes meeting mine sharply, I was ever thankful for the stinging pinch of Serah on my shoulder. While shoving my flaring testosterone back into it's cage I smiled and rolled my eyes. "So I'm pretty much the last resort?"

Slone grinned and nodded, her smile widening when I agreed to take her. I'd attended most of her lessons and about all of her competitions, even still, the things those girls could do made me cringe. There wasn't a time I didn't wince when Slone dropped into the splits.

She held my hand while we walked off the school property, out of view of her peers. We didn't talk much, though Serah was ranting in my ear about how much of an idiot I was, it was a contented quiet.

"Where did Ed go?" I cocked a brow at her, "I didn't know he had a date." Slone sighed heavily, making a face and shaking her head so her rosy hair would fall into her face.

She shrugged a shoulder through the material of her white t-shirt. "He's been hitting on Michelle – my coach – forever, and he finally got her to agree to go out with him." Now I understood the sour look upon her face, Michelle was someone Slone looked up to, not someone she wanted bent around her brother.

In a stupid attempt to make things better I laughed and snorted, "It's just one date, she'll see what he's really like and that'll be it." Slone squeezed my fingers hopefully, her strides lengthening to fall in step with mine.

For a minute I just watched her legs, incredibly muscular legs, hidden away in a skin tight mask of dark denim. Just looking at such snug pants made me shiver, I'll never know how women can wear clothes like that. How the hell do you breathe?

"It's just infatuation." I continued in order to dissuade my attention, Slone looking up at me curiously. "Michelle and Edwin, she's very...high class." I squinted near the end, not too sure where I was going with this.

Slone laughed, shaking her head at me. "You try too hard." Just like that, her fingers were lost to mine and she was marching ahead of me, the burgundy backpack she wore bouncing on her legs. "Any harder and your head will burst." She smirked over her shoulder, making me grimace.

We cut through the fields and backyards, Slone with her hands behind her head, tall blades of grass swishing with the motion of her hips. Directing my attention elsewhere, I hurried behind her until Slone lead us back to the main street and up the driveway to my house.

Unlocking the door with shaky hands I let us in, the house absolutely quiet without Kelly, Spencer or Sam. It was a strange silence that made my ears ring with two unbearably loud words: _we're alone._

No you don't! I jumped on that thought as soon as it started stirring trouble within me. Slamming the front door shut and locking it up with quick hands, I'm not one of _those guys_. I can think with more than my penis.

Slone made herself at home, by the time I'd thrown my backpack down, ridded myself of my hoodie and shoes, she was sitting on the counter nibbling at a PB & J sandwich.

Peanut butter is a no-no in the Ander household, as well as just about every other fatty food you can think of. Heaven forbid Slone ever fit into more than double zero jeans! Long story short, Edwin and Slone's Mother is a little crazy, she can barely stand to look at Kelly's baby bump.

I chuckled when Slone took a sudden chomp at her sandwich and sighed out a lengthy, "Mmmm!" She abruptly glowered at the sandwich and groaned. "Why do you have to be so good?" Slone looked over at me and sighed, dropping her sandwich on the counter reluctantly. "My Mom doesn't let us eat bread anymore-" she laughed at my incredulity "-she heard somewhere that it makes you fat. Everybody in the house is surviving on meal supplements and protein shakes."

This made me laugh out loud, what a huge contrast to our house! We eat just about whatever Kelly feels like eating. Her meals usually range from whole tubs of cotton candy ice cream, to an entire turkey dinner. We basically have thanksgiving ever other day.

Slone exhaled noisily, "I know!" She stuck her legs out in front of herself bending her toes to an irregular angle. "I told her that instead of being a gold medalist I was going to join the army. She was ranting for days."

I froze up in the kitchen when she jumped of the counter to saunter her way towards me. Slone gripped the collar of my shirt between her fingers, dangerously bending my willpower. "I wonder what she would say if I told her about you." She had a mischievous, almost _naughty_ look about her, making my Adam's apple jerk.

Serah bit my shoulder underneath my shirt and I jumped up. "Ow!" I grunted, "She – she'd kill me that's what she'd do. And then Edwin would dance on my..." I'd intended to say grave, but the mere word made me shudder violently.

Slone rolled her green-blue eyes slowly, putting her arms around my neck. Out of habit I let my palms hover over her sides, forbidding them to make contact. The more physical I became with Slone – even just kisses on the cheek – seemed to make her yearn to test my boundaries until I snapped.

She was trying to kill me, that's exactly it – Death by Seduction. May as well be the same as putting a bullet into my brain, though I'm positive getting shot in the head would be less painful.

On her toes she moved her mouth over mine, feather soft at first, a stealth attack in motion. Squeezing my eyes shut, I struggled to remain as still as possible, letting Slone have her way for all of five minutes before pushing her away slightly.

"Odin!" Slone complained, puffing her chest up to push my hands. I bumped into the corner of the doorframe, panicking once I grasped just how trapped I was. Serah's teeny hands ripped frantically at my earlobe, her nagging making my head spin even more.

The feel of her fingers in my hair made my commonsense halt for a flat thirty seconds, which Slone spent pressing her tongue past my lips. My brain reeled, I could feel the kitchen walls closing in on me where I stood, pushing Slone even closer to me.

Slone's fingers fought with the belt on my jeans when, with a bewildering crack, the buckle snapped open. My hands gripped her shoulders, shoving her away with as much force I could use without harming her. "_Éclair_!" I snarled, watching as her face played out several different expressions.

Disappointment, embarrassment, hurt, outrage. Her hands balled at her sides, Slone's hair falling in her face as she stomped both her feet. "Don't you dare call me that! You know I hate that name!" Her shouting resounded in the suddenly tight kitchen, the echo taking up so much space it was difficult to breathe.

As full sense returned to me I jabbed my index finger at her. "Then stop it, we're not doing this," I hissed back, my voice shaking as I attempted to sound mean. "Don't push me!"

Éclair Slone Ander, no one called her that of course, she'd made sure the use of her first name ended in public school. Anything that even remotely made her close to Edwin she despised.

Despite the absolute fury pressing lines into Slone's smooth skin, her bottom lip shook and she glared at me with enraged, teary eyes. I watched her for a moment, before the guilt slipped in, slamming onto my shoulders with enough force to make my knees buckle.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

Slone snapped, flipping her hair from her face and lunging at me slightly when she screamed, "No you're not!" She spun away from me, arms folded over her chest. I stared into her back for the longest while, blocking out Serah's shrill nagging.

Slone's shoulders shuddered ever so slightly, making me feel sick to my stomach. So, I guess it isn't just ghosts I can banish.


End file.
